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ND/Dwarf
The in knows little of dwarfs. They are a stout, hardy, and muscular people with a habit of wearing long beards. They live on, or perhaps in, the mountains of the . They are still free of the , but are under constant siege, and are hard-pressed and loosing ground. Every year, in daily desperate fights in the passes and in the mining tunnels, the Dwarfs kill dozens of orcs and lose one of their number and count themselves as having made a poor trade. The Dwarfs have taken refugees, but neither race appreciates the forced alliance. Minotaurs find dwarfen halls to be dank, cramped, and stifling, while Dwarfs feel the refugees don't contribute much to their defensive battles but do eat a lot of food. The rare Dwarf refugee sometimes make his way to Engenstut and is smuggled into the Visten forest. The avoid the small dwarfen communities and the Resistance generally loses track of them as they migrate to avoid orcish incursions. Physical Description Dwarfs very considerably in physically appearance, though most stand around 4' tall. Some look like normally proportioned but very short humans, while others are built like gorillas, with the arms and torsos of a 6' tall human and absurdly short legs. Most dwarfs, including the females, have beards, but some do not. Dwarfs do not discuss the reasons for range of appearances with non-dwarfs. Outsiders rarely see young dwarfs, and the is unaware of any Dwarfs that were born outside of the Dwarfen Safeholds. Society Dwarf society is extremely hierarchical and conformist, obsessed with duty, diligence, and propriety. A dwarf's position in life is determined before their conception, and a dwarf faces enormous pressure to accept that position. A proper dwarf strives to demonstrate excellence at that position, but does not seek to rise above or below their allotted role. The top rank of Dwarf society is held by the philosopher-smiths. Philosopher-smiths are scholars and craftsmen (and women, as Dwarf society is entirely devoid of sexism of any kind) of the greatest ability, and spend their time in research, discussion, and the creation of great works. Below the philospher-smiths are smiths and philosophers, and somewhere below them are politicians who manage the Dwarfen government. Dwarfs consider politicians to be a necessary but not particularly prestigious profession, the way most human societies consider tanners. Politicians are tools of the philosopher-smiths, tasking with implementing the wisdom of their masters. Under the pressure of the war against the Empire, the Dwarfs have become even more focused on diligence and economy. Things are reused and repurposed until they are destroyed. Nothing is wasted, and frills and artistic flourishes are almost unknown. Dwarf cuisine has become bland yet nutritious, featuring simple stews and hard breads. Racial Template Optional Traits Intolerance (Non-Dwarfs) -10 is very common among Dwarfs. Intolerance (Non-Dwarfs, Cosmic +50%) -15 is somewhat less common, but about 70% of Dwarfs have one trait or the other. Mass Combat Notes Dwarf units have the Night trait. The Dwarf armies of the and are known for their extensively trained and experienced troops in extremely heavy, high quality armor, but those qualities are a matter of choice, not inherent in being a Dwarf. Dwarfs of Note :Gate Second Captain Talpul Hornsfelbox - Captain Hornsfelbox is a mid-level officer of the Dwarfen garrison at the Godknurl pass. :Deputy Smith Lieutenant Gimmel - Lieutenant Gimmel is an Engineer officer at Godknurl pass, known for his friendliness with the minotaurs. :Aviator Lieutenant Rothin - Lieutenant Rothin controls one of the arcanothopters, the bizarre Dwarfen flying golem war machines. He is a notorious free-thinker and was generally shunned by other Dwarfs, even before he was demoted and stole his arcanothopter to defect to .